Hello All,
New member here with a quick question. I purchased a new 360J last week from a local dealer. Not my first Smith, but my first Smith wheel gun. I wasn't aware that they are normally shipped with a spent casing and there was not one in the box. Anyone else not have one missing?

I purchased my 686+ online and there was no spent case in the box.

When I happened to call S&W on another matter I asked the rep about this and she explained that they are not always included and it is often dependent upon the state requirements where the original recipient of the firearm, (distributor, dealer, etc), is located.

So, the missing brass by itself is not cause for concern absent anything else being amiss.

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642-1, M&P15 TS

I believe it was Maryland and New York that required a spent casing to be shipped with a new gun to be retained for their data base. Both states have dropped this requirement, so new guns in the future may not have spent cases with them.

My new Ruger Blackhawk was shipped without a fired case about 6 months ago.
It had been a nice way to tell when the gun was made, approximately.

Best,
Rick

That was the reason I looked for it as well, to determine the manufacture date. It seems that finding info/history on the 360J is hard to come by. I thought some people in the past were inquiring whether +P was able to be fired in the gun because it was not specified on the barrel. Mine on the other hand has the +P marked so I thought perhaps it was newer...?

The manufacture date on my new 60-15 was also found on the box label....have you looked there?

I did indeed check on the box (cardboard) and could not find it anywhere. Just some general specs printed on the box along with the sticker that contained the serial/model info and MSRP..

All the new boxes I've seen have the date listed (mm/dd/yy) at the bottom of the label, by itself with no other verbage.

.

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Waiting for the break of day

Can you use the serial number to get the date and data you want? I bought a used 640 that was stamped +P+ in the frame/cylinder opening. I emailed S&W, as the barrel was marked .38 Special. The answer was that it was a limited run and .38 +P was okay. The date of manufacture was given as February 1990. You might send that info to S&W and ask the information you are seeking.

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Hook686

I think sometime in 2015 they started marking the M360J's "+P". I saw one from January of that year that was not marked, and one from August that was.

They started making the "J" in 2008. Since then, every year, it's been made in large numbers. It would be interesting to know how those first guns were marked. I'll keep my eye out for one.

Post your s/n and I can tell you within a few weeks when your gun was made. Then show you how to find the ship date on the box.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

If you REALLY want a spent casing, just save one from your next range trip and put it in the box!!

Randy